One thing I like to do is figure out and work with 'world' rules. The design and functionality of the physics, items, technologies etc. used in a world. I once had a several hour discussion of all the FTL travel ideas we'd heard of. Not to mention the talks we've had about roleplaying universes (my friend has been designing a universe for longer then you have!). Anyway, I'd be interested in learning the reality rules of your pet universe.<P>So far we know that FTL is possible. Can't remember how, I can't find that old essay.Genetic engineering works and can produce sentience (I think).Celsetial engineering is a fairly robust science. Halting the rotation of a planet and changing it's orbit are no picnics! I wonder if there is problems with heat retention on dayside and permanant cold on nightside?Cybernetics work, the way the brain accepts and outputs signals is understood at least. Direct Neural Interfaces may not be.The choice of cyber by the main character may indicate that cloning, transplant and biological enhancement may be less robust and/or less socially acceptible (ie. genetic warfare) then cyber.Genetic warfare has been used, extensively in some cases.Some cute social commentary too, so far. ie. the nature of 'sports'.<P>How'd I do? Get anything glaringly wrong?<P>How developed is this reality/society/world anyway? Are the ground rules, tech level, societal model fully developed? Or are you leaving bunches of it until you _have_ to figure it out?<P>Label me intrigued, and lets see what unfolds.

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Seafog:<B>One thing I like to do is figure out and work with 'world' rules. The design and functionality of the physics, items, technologies etc. used in a world. I once had a several hour discussion of all the FTL travel ideas we'd heard of. Not to mention the talks we've had about roleplaying universes (my friend has been designing a universe for longer then you have!).</B><HR></BLOCKQUOTE><P>Yeesh. Well, I haven't really been designing the universe for that long; it was the basic story that was hammering on my brain. The intense design has really only been going on for the last few months, as I started thinking about actually DOING it.<P> <BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR><B>Anyway, I'd be interested in learning the reality rules of your pet universe.</B><HR></BLOCKQUOTE><P>Well, I'll see what I can do...bear with me, I'm kinda rusty at this.<P> <BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR><B>So far we know that FTL is possible. Can't remember how, I can't find that old essay.</B><HR></BLOCKQUOTE><P>Nah, I nuked the old pages, so that I can deliver the information a bit more coherently on the new ones. FTL is indeed possible in the Duality universe, and I'll be using a variation of the Alderson drive (postulated by, I think, Dan Alderson, and used to great effect by Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle). Basically, there are unstable points in space (not really wormholes, but ok) that link to other unstable points. A ship impacting one of these points at a specific velocity and expending a specific amount of energy will be instantaneously transported to another point. However, travel between points is still sublight. The iridium-3 coating (until I can come up with a better element name, cuz I HATE that one) somehow prevents circuit-scrambling during a jump.<P> <BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR><B>Genetic engineering works and can produce sentience (I think).</B><HR></BLOCKQUOTE><P>Yup. I'm a HUGE fan of David Brin's uplift series, and a dolphin pilot was just too good to pass up. There may be other species that have been 'uplifted', as well - we'll see about that, later.<P> <BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR><B>Celsetial engineering is a fairly robust science. Halting the rotation of a planet and changing it's orbit are no picnics! I wonder if there is problems with heat retention on dayside and permanant cold on nightside?</B><HR></BLOCKQUOTE><P>You ain't whitslin' dixie. The move of Deuce Prime was the most ambitious project of its time. Luckily, the planet had no ambient environment to save, so the methods used were allowed to be rather brutal (HUGE explosions and massive fusion motors, basically). Once the planet was in place, the terraforming began, and then the colonization. Total time from plan implementation to permanent habitation? 152 years. Like I said, an ambitious project.<P>Nightside is pretty much perpetually frozen, yes, and they buy ninety percent of their heat and power from Sunside. There are a lot of unlicensed portable fusion generators floating around Nightside, but these are confiscated whenever they're found.<P>Sunside was designed to be comfortable, since when the move was conceived, no-one thought anyone would be living on Nightside. There are some nasty constant winds at the terminator, however, so most Sunside and Nightside habitations are as far away from these as possible.<P> <BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR><B>Cybernetics work, the way the brain accepts and outputs signals is understood at least. Direct Neural Interfaces may not be.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE></B><P>Basically, yes, and DNIs are, as well. Both Chen and Charlie have neural taps. They have various uses that I'll explore in the story, but Charlie also uses his to pilot the Kodachi.<P> <BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR><B>The choice of cyber by the main character may indicate that cloning, transplant and biological enhancement may be less robust and/or less socially acceptible (ie. genetic warfare) then cyber.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE></B><P>No, Chen's just proud of his scars. Cloning is mostly accepted, but legally cloning is only allowed for parts, not whole beings. (<I>Legally</I>, I said). Also, Chen wouldn't have gotten all the capabilities he opted for during the repairs if he had gone the biological route, and even in the 33rd century, they can't reanimate dead (or missing) brain tissue.<P> <BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR><B>Genetic warfare has been used, extensively in some cases.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE></B><P>Yup. The Centauri Secession Wars were a nasty bit of business. MAJOR moratoriums on legal biowarfare these days...but, of course, there's still a lot of underground and 'black' development going on.<P> <BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR><B>How'd I do? Get anything glaringly wrong?<HR></BLOCKQUOTE></B><P>Nope, good so far. <IMG SRC="http://www.keenspace.com/forums/smile.gif"><P> <BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR><B>How developed is this reality/society/world anyway? Are the ground rules, tech level, societal model fully developed? Or are you leaving bunches of it until you _have_ to figure it out?</B><HR></BLOCKQUOTE><P>Heh. Um, number two.<P> <BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR><B>Label me intrigued, and lets see what unfolds.</B><HR></BLOCKQUOTE><P>You got it...and frankly, I'm as intruiged to see how this'll turn out as you are. <IMG SRC="http://www.keenspace.com/forums/smile.gif"><P>Later,Shannon